1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to fluorescent lighting fixtures, specifically to a modular design that may installed on any surface, in 61, 91 or 122 centimeter (2, 3, or 4 foot) lengths. It may be plugged together and then connected to an electrical wall outlet, safely and easily, to provide an attractive, continuous, source of lighting.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, fluorescent lighting was limited to three types: integral installations built into the building, or separate large lighting fixtures designed to be hung from or mounted to the ceiling, or smaller fixtures to be mounted to a wall or the underside of a kitchen cabinet.
These integral installations include fixtures recessed into the ceiling which provide direct lighting downward through a diffuser. Or, they are built into architectural coves, cornices, valences, soffits or canopies, which are permanently attached to the walls. They provide indirect lighting--reflected from the walls and ceiling. If not originally built into the structure these integral fixtures require a custom design and will usually be quite difficult and expensive to install.
The separate lighting fixtures (both large and small) are designed to either be wired into an electrical junction box or are provided with a cable that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Either is difficult for the user to install unless an electrical power source is at or near the new fixture location. Many homes and apartments built since 1960 have no ceiling lights or wiring in the ceiling. Instead they have wall switches that control room wall outlets. Table lamps and floor lamps consume valuable floor space and often dictate the arrangement and decoration of a room. However, the difficulty of bringing power unobtrusively to a new location has discouraged many from installing new ceiling or wall lights.
No means was previously available to the user to install an attractive lighting system that could just plug into any existing wall outlet and be extended around the room in virtually any surface-mounted configuration. No means was available for the user to easily and inexpensively simulate the spectacular and sumptuous effect of a room indirectly lit by an architectural cove.
A number of earlier patents have incorporated an internal power bus in a modular unit. These permitted the installation of a plurality of serially attached unit that are powered by the preceding internal bus. However, two of these, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,249,500 to Richter (1917) and 4,096,379 to Taylor (1978) are not intended for use with fluorescent lamps and make no provision for the necessary starter and ballast equipment.
Some patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,725,931 to Bourdon (1988), 3,436,537 to Bostonian (1969), and 1,249,500 to Richter (1917) (mentioned above), are quite complicated and require installation by a licensed professional. Or, they require substantial (off-site) adaptation to each installation by a professional. And, they must then be installed by licensed or highly experienced personnel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,379 to Taylor (1978) (mentioned above) could be installed by the average, inexperienced, consumer. But it has no special features to encourage a safe installation and minimize the potential shock hazard to the installer or anyone who maintains, modifies or replaces those units. That design permits the installer to configure a system in which one or more male plugs are powered, presenting a serious shock hazard. U.S. Pat. No. 2,344,935 to Whittaker (1944) does provide for intermodule connectors to be configured as either male or female. But, it requires disassembly of a module housing and the removal and replacement of a number of electrical contact fittings. That may be well beyond the capabilities of many potential users. Further, this patent does not incorporate any circuit breaker device to prevent overloading the capacity of the power line. And, it does not provide indirect illumination or an attractive appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,036 to Mills, Jr (1961) describes a housing for cove or cornice installations of fluorescent lighting, that includes provision for a decorative insert of continuous length. But, it does not incorporate a concept of modular "plug-in" fixtures. It only provides a decorative housing combined with fluorescent fixtures attached to a continuous wiring duct. Accordingly, it requires professional (and in many cities, licensed) installation.